Glasses vs. Contacts???

I've had glasses for many years now and I've decided that I think I would really like to try contacts. I have an appointment on May 3, and they said after my initial exam, I will be sent home with a trial pair for two weeks to see how they work and if I like them. I know they will be more expensive over a two year period compared to glasses, but I was wondering how others feel about them, what you like or dislike about them? Thanks so much for your input!!

I just had my annual eye exam last Tuesday and picked up a new batch of contacts two days ago. I have used soft contact lenses for about 9 years now. In my experience, I can wear my lenses up to 14 hours at a time. I first started w/the weekly wear lenses, these you just had to clean and store them in a soaking solution each night, then put them on again in the morning. The quality of the lens by the end of the week was not that great. Vision wasn't a problem, but the lens it would get that "sticking" feeling, like it just wasn't clean enough. It was a little bothersome. Then I switched to daily wear lenses. These are disposable type, wear them for one day then toss. I love these for their convenience--you don't have to clean them or store them. Just use and toss. And they even came out with daily colored lenses. I'm experimenting with green eyes, even though my natural color is brown. I must admit it makes me feel like I'm wearing a whole new outfit and boosts my confidence, much like when I try a new hair color and it turns out smokin' hot. Soft lenses overall are really easy to wear and I think you'll like them. I think the more quantity you buy, the lower the price. There are also great rebates for first-time users of contacts, ask your eye doctor if there are any available. I remember getting $50 back from the manufacturer because I bought a years supply (lenses normally have a 2-3 year shelf life).

Oh, and if/when you do start wearing contacts, you will find that if you ever had an unconscious habit of adjusting your glasses on your face, you will still reach up to do that, even though nothing is there

I am in the minority. I had contacts years ago, and while it was a nice look, it was just too much hassle. I'm lazy like that, I guess. And since I'm blind without some sort of corrective lenses, it's so much simpler for me just to grab my glasses & go. My husband hasn't worn contacts in years & years either, for much the same reason. (Of course, he doesn't need to wear his glasses constantly, like I do.)

I wore soft contacts for 2 years a long time ago - the same kind Noelle had that needed to be cleaned each night. I have light blue eyes that were very sensitive to light. For some reason, the contacts made them more sensitive. Even on overcast days I needed to wear sunglasses - admittedly better looking ones than the prescription ones I once had. My eyes were dry and I had to use a wetting solution, especially in the winter. It was a lot of work but the thing that made me give them up was that I thought they would improve my vision better than glasses. They didn't. At least I was told that was true with the soft contacts. I wasn't keen on the hard ones, especially when I heard they can form caluses on the eyes.

So, like GBMM, I didn't think they were worth the hassle. But I am an exception - I know lots of people who love them - especially the daily wear kind. I think it's kind of neat to be able to change your eye color too.

Good luck to you. Ask questions. Use them as they were intended to be used. I know of people who try to extend the wear just because they don't want to buy them that often - doesn't seem like a good hygiene idea to me.

I'm sure you'll feel young and cute - just like a good haircut makes you feel. And that is true and funny about the adjusting the "invisible glasses" thing on your face.

Oh and on windy days you probably want to wear a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes. You wouldn't believe how a tiny spec of dust in the lenses feels like a boulder! I never realized how much glasses keep things out of your eyes until I wasn't wearning them.

Lasik, baby, LASIK. Add up the costs of contacts, cleaning solutions, storing solutions, total costs of replacements, costs of disposible lenses (if you go that way), and you will find that Lasik will actually save you money in the long run.
Given a choice between glasses and contacts, it may depend on your prescription. I had a prescription of -11.25 in my right eye (!) and -11.75 in my left eye (!!!). Making glasses like coke bottles. Making contacts like tupperware chips. Making Lasik the best choice for me! But I wore contacts for years, and loved them. Good luck with your choice!

I've been wearing contacts for many years and I love them! I don't think they're a hassle at all-- they take about 20 seconds in the morning to put in and 20 seconds at night to take out, no problem. I also love that you can see in all directions, as opposed to glasses through which you can only see what's directly in front of you and the entire surrounding area is a blur. You can also buy any kind of sunglasses you want without worrying about getting perscription ones, you don't have to be constantly pushing glasses back up your nose, and it's easier to put on makeup (since you'd have to take off your glasses to put on eye makeup, and then you can't see what you're doing!).

WOW, what great info all of you have given me to go on, thank you!! I have brown eyes and I would love to have green eyes, that would be fun for a change. One of my biggest things is being able to just go buy a regular pair of sunglasses, because I have never had prescription ones, so basically I've not had any sunglasses for years. I know my prescription is not very strong, but we'll see what the doctor says and offers for me to try when I go in. I'll definitely let you all know what I decide and get.

Michelle...ds wore glasses forever and changed over to contacts a couple of years ago and loves them! He says he won't go back to wearing glasses but does have his old ones around in case. He doesn't think it is a hassle...it's not as quick as grabbing the glasses but he loves the freedom of not having the glasses.

Me...I'm a weirdo and don't think I could take putting something on my eye, but have thought about contacts. For now though glasses are fine with me. My eyes aren't so bad and for years I wore non-prescription sunglasses and finally went to a prescription sunglass and man you would not believe the difference. I am definitely needing new ones though.

Lasik...I myself wouldn't do it. I've heard good stories and bad ones where it didn't work. But for me nothing will touch my eyes! I am to big of a chicken.

Love my contacts! Don't know what I would do without them! I love the way they make me look -- much better than I did with glasses! I got lots of compliments when I finally escaped from my glasses! I hadn't realized how much my glasses affected my appearance -- I was shocked by how people responded.

I love the way I can see clearly in all directions! I will never, ever go back if I don't have to! I've been wearing them daily for the last 10 years! Most people don't even know that I'm pretty blind!

Loved my vision with the contacts, but my eyes didn't like them so much. My eyes were constantly dry and irritated. I bought the ones that you wear for a month, and they were fairly inexpensive. $64 for 6mos' supply at the time, though that was a couple years ago.

Gas permeable are still made, and my sister uses those and swears by those. Up front, they cost her about $400ish dollars, but they last up to 7 years. I can't tolerate having a piece of glass laying on my eye! It was bad enough with the soft lenses.

Good luck!

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And I will stumble and fall. I'm learning to love. Just starting to crawl.

Another Lasik fan here. Going on two years! I still have to pinch myself so I don't take glasses/contacts-free vision for granted. I too was a major chicken for a long time. I don't know why I finally did it, but I have been thrilled ever since.

I wore contacts for years and then I went to glasses (triggered by pregnancy, my eyes would not tolerate contacts) and then it was cheaper just to keep my glasses.

If I had a few thousand dollars, I'd get Lasik in a heartbeat, but for now, I can only afford the annual fee of glasses/contacts (plus my prescription still changed the last time I got an exam, so I probably won't be a candidate for a couple more years).

I have both. I have had glasses since I was in third grade, and I got contacts I believe for my 15th birthday. I'm an odd case, though--my eyes never really get irritated from the contacts, so even though I have the ones you're supposed to take in and out every day, I can keep them in just fine for well over a month (including sleeping with them in). Most people can't do that, though, and can't see or barely open their eyes if they fall asleep with them in.

I suppose this makes my opinion different because the reason I love my contacts so much is that I wake up in the morning and can SEE. When I wear my galsses (which I actually do a lot now just to try to kee pmy eyes healthy), I have difficulty finding them on my nightstand when I wake up in the morning (yes, I am THAT blind). Plus, I don't know about anyone else, but my glasses are CONSTANTLY dirty. I swear I clean off the lenses at least 7 times every day. With contacts, I just put eyedrops in once a day (the "blink and clean" ones), and I'm all set.

And YES, the freedom to wear sunglasses! I've never had prescription sunglasses, so I can only wear sunglasses when I have my contacts in. It's so much better for long car trips (which I make often since I am always travelling on weekends to visit family, all of whom are a minimum of an hour away).

I tried contacts awhile ago, but my eyes HATED them! They were constantly drying out and when my allergies flared up, I was miserable. I even tried a couple different brands, if it's your first time getting contacts then you'll get trial pairs to find out what works best for you.
I love the idea of Lasik, but I'm a big chicken and I would have to do some major penny pinching!